Dear parents and guardians,

Next week signals the beginning of our staggered return to campus. We are very much looking forward to having the boys back, experiencing face-to-face teaching, recess and lunch with their friends and physical activities on the ovals (all while physically distancing – as much as is practicably possible). 

Staff will serve breakfast (a bacon and egg roll) to each boy on their first day on campus as a “welcome back”, a chance to say hello to every boy and perhaps an opportunity to ask them what they’ve missed most.

The final seven members of the 1st XVI have been announced.  Congratulations to Tane Blessington, Jonty Carr, Nicolas Clarke, Sebastian Guy, Jack Haydon, Jonah Holme and Jackson Sumich.  I look forward to seeing them wearing their 1^st XVI caps soon.  Our Captain Abraham Hussein, Vice-Captain Luke Mesterovic along with the members of the 1^st XVI have put together a fun video about the selection process of the 1^st XVI.  It is very creative, and you can enjoy it here.

Tomorrow we will start a series of Year group Zoom meetings to outline our expectations around roll marking, temperature checks, behaviour, uniform and what boys should do if they feel unwell.  The first meetings will be tomorrow for Year 7 and 12. Meetings for other Years will be held the day before each Year group is scheduled to return to campus.  We invite you to join your son in these meetings. We will also post a recording of each meeting on the relevant Spaces page and email an outline of what was discussed.

As we cautiously move to a full return to campus, we are seeking further feedback from you as parents and guardians.  As mentioned in the Headmaster’s last communication, we have engaged MMG to manage a Home-Based Learning Questionnaire.  Tomorrow you will receive an email inviting you to complete the questionnaire.  It is confidential and will take less than 10 minutes. Completing it will assist the College in providing effective and engaging home-based learning for your son – something we very much hope we will soon not require!

I wish our Newington mums a very happy Mother’s Day this Sunday.